Learning to play the piano has always been a difficult and time consuming endeavor. The industry has developed a number of devices intended to help teach users to play the piano. However, none of the existing devices have produced an acceptable solution.
For example, U.S. Patent Publication 2013/0068086 discusses a piano learning system for tablets and touchscreen devices. The system described reveals nothing except the well-known use of Light Emitting Diodes to illuminate keys. Nothing particularly novel regarding the lighting of keys is described. In fact, the '8086 Application states explicitly that “[t]he method for a microprocessor 28 to control LEDs is well established and not repeated here.” '8086 at page 2. Thus, nothing novel regarding lighting is disclosed.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,534 discusses the use of lighting to indicate to a user which key should be played. The '534 patent is long on description yet short on disclosure. Little if anything is taught except the use of lights to indicate which key should be played.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,410,836 discusses a clever system whereby LEDs are illuminated from an uppermost light emitting element farthest from the key toward the key at a timing (t-n) going back an arbitrary time period “n” from that timing “t.” In other words, keys are illuminated toward the key to be struck. Other than an interesting gimmick, nothing of interest to the piano student is taught by the '836 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,324 is typical of existing systems which merely use lights to indicate whether a key should be struck with either the left hand or the right hand. Systems made in accordance with the teachings of the '324 patent are limited to the use of two colors to distinguish between the user's right hand or left hand. Little else, if anything, is disclosed related to the use of colors in the training system.
Existing systems for teaching the piano leave much to be desired, and a truly effective piano training device has eluded those skilled in the art.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an electronic piano training device that incorporates dynamically controllable lighting integrated into the keys of a keyboard. The dynamically controllable lighting may take the form of broad-spectrum Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that are controlled by a programmable computing system.
The LEDs are electronic components that are capable of radiating in multiple (if not a continuous spectrum) of operating modes where each operating mode is associated with a different color. The programmable computing system includes a User Interface (UI) and a control module. The control module is configured to activate signals to excite the LEDs to illuminate them in each of the multiple (if not continuous spectrum) operating modes. In this way, the control module is operative to cause the LEDs to radiate in a multiplicity of colors.
The LEDs are integrated with keys on a keyboard such that the light emitted by a particular LED is visible in conjunction with a particular key. Each LED is controlled by a controller which is configured to cause each LED to illuminate in any one or more of multiple colors according to a color theme.
The UI enables a user to select from one or more options that may affect a color theme implemented by the piano training device. Alternatively, the piano training device may be pre-configured with alternative color themes that are implemented in the course of using the piano training device. In yet another alternative, a music manifest may be provided which programmatically defines a color theme to be implemented while using the piano training device.
The teachings and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from a study of the several included drawings in conjunction with the following detailed description of embodiments.